Our Team
With the help of our team, we are here to help and guide you to your journey.
We will guide you to your journey to a brighter future and to a positive outlook on life.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Brent Turner MS
Founder & Chairman, Rise & Reach Project
Brent Turner is the Founder and Chairman of the Rise & Reach Project, dedicated to expanding opportunity through mentorship, financial literacy, workforce readiness, and community support for underserved populations. He brings over a decade of nonprofit and government experience, including service with the Alameda County Probation Department and leadership on the Probation Peace Officers Association board, where he helped negotiate the collective bargaining agreement with Alameda County that secured a 25% pay increase and enhanced benefits for members. Brent has more than 16 years of experience supporting youth and families and is trained in evidence-based, trauma-informed care. He serves as Co-Lead of the Bay Area Black & Jewish Unity Coalition, coaches football at McClymonds High School, and is a Juris Doctor candidate at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento.
Brandon Turner
Senior Advisor
- Seasoned political organizer with 10+ years of campaign experience
Alexandria Pierce, MA
Director of Programs and Community Relations
- Current Specialization: Programs & Projects within Recruiting Operations in the Aerospace Tech Industry
- Professional Experience: Developing, executing, and optimizing new and existing workflows, projects, programs, and business processes. Proven track record in developing and delivering comprehensive training programs to various teams. Skilled in process optimization, people compliance, and quality assurance
- Leadership: Over 10 years of combined management, leadership, and senior leadership experience
- Certifications: Certified Birth Doula
- Community Involvement: Oakland community advocate
- Commitment: Dedicated to achieving racial, economic, and gender equity by centering the oppression and experiences of communities and people impacted by systemic injustice
BOARD
Dr. Jack Thomas
- Former President at Central State University & Western Illinois University
- Current CEO Jack Thomas Leadership
- National & Internationally recognized leader in Higher Education
- Successfully fundraised millions of dollars
Bridget Brown
MBA
- Current VP at Citibank
- Senior-Level Leadership
- Strategic Planning Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Risk Management
- Quality Assurance
- Staff Training & Development
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Dr. Donato Powell
- Retired Marine Corps Officer, has utilized his business and data science expertise to assist various organizations, including the U.S. government, Fortune 500 companies, and universities, in achieving success, earning millions of dollars in ROIs.
Brian Ford
MBA
- Current Assistant Chief of Alameda County Probation
- Consults Large organizations on Evidence-Based Practices, Quality Assurance protocols, Leadership and Professional Development.
Royce Egeolu
- Accomplished real estate attorney from a leading firm.
- Specializes in warehouse, retail, multifamily housing, and office property transactions.
- Exceptional prowess in formulating, negotiating, and finalizing diverse real estate and construction contracts.
- Proficient in reviewing complex studies, covering environmental, historical, zoning, and commercial aspects.
- Valuable proponent for progressive real estate advancements.
- An indispensable asset to the Rise and Reach Project Board.
Dr. Algerian Hart
- Current Chief Diversity Officer Missouri State University
- Robust academic record related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), including dozens of publications and presentations in the United States and abroad
Brent Turner MS
Board President
- 10 years of non-profit & government experience in various capacities and roles such as, Alameda County Probation, Strategic Planning Executive Team Committee , Policy Development, Board Member Collective Bargaining Unit PPOA Juvenile Officer, Program Director & Chief Operations Officer.
- 16 years of experience providing compassionate youth care services.
- Evidence Based and Trauma Informed Care Trained
Kiesha Pomele
MPA
- Current Government Program Contract Specialist Alameda County
- Extensive background working with underserved youth K-12 & Alameda County Probation
- Former child ward of the state of California
Jessica Newsome
MSN
- Current Nursing Director Kaiser Permanente
- Maternal Child Health
- Provides Compassionate and supportive care for new mothers
ADVISORS
Diane Lewis
- Over 30 years of diverse experience in healthcare, sales, marketing, business development, and community outreach.
- Master’s degree in Public Administration from CSU East Bay
- Appointed by the Oakland Mayor's Office to serve on the Alameda County AAA (Area Agency on Aging) Commission member of theBoard of Directors for PFLAG-Oakland East Bay and the Allen Temple Health and Social Services Ministry.
- A mother to two sons, Lance and London.
- Dedicated her career to making a positive impact in the lives of others and she continues to be a driving force in the community and an inspiring role model.
Bishop Dr. Mario M. Gaines
- 24 years in Christian ministry, ordained as an Elder in 2002.
- Education: Gifted athlete, All-American at Laney Jr. College, Masters in Theology and Christian Counseling from U.C. Santa Barbara, Doctorate of Divinity from Pneuma Theological Seminary.
- Lord Is My Banner Ministry: Founded in 2003.
- Community Outreach: Project HOOD and Ministerial Feeding Programs to assist the overlooked and homeless in Oakland.
- Housing-Focused Ministries: CALAB Outreach Ministry, All Love and All Love Transitional Living Facility, Jehovanissi Independent Living.
- Mental Health and Re-entry Support: Focus on clients’ mental health and re-entry conditions, including substance abuse challenges.
- Current Role: Executive Pastor of The Believe Worship Center, Oakland, CA.
- Jurisdictional Bishop: Appointed as the Jurisdictional Bishop for the Saints of God International Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.
- Church of God in Christ, International: Board of Bishops member and Regional Bishop for Africa.
Bob Lefcovich
- Over 55 years of experience in the TV industry.
- Extensive experience with Mobile Trucks for Video Tape Enterprises, Trans American Video, and ABC Wide World of Sports in California.
- Worked at Metro Tape West on popular Network shows such as ‘All in the Family’, ‘The Jeffersons’, and ‘One Day at a Time’.
- Continued career at ABC TV in NY and EUE Screen Gems.
- Held the position of Senior Editor and Edit Supervisor for MTI in NY.
- Contributed to Woody Allen’s film ‘The Purple Rose of Cairo’, and political commercials within the film ‘Power’ with Gene Hackman and Richard Gere.
- Worked on Films & hundreds of network commercials.
- Joined Grass Valley Group as the Senior Applications Specialist for Edit Systems in 1985.
- Trained hundreds of editors in 49 states and fifteen countries.
- Co-founded Editware in 1996, developing the DPE series of editors and Hybrid Edit Controllers like Fastrack, DiVA, and eClips.
- Provided Edit Training and Tech Support for five Olympic Games.
- Served as a consultant and trainer for POST (Peace Officers Standards & Training) for the State of California.
- Semi-retired in 2018 and currently focuses on VETV.
Brandon Turner
Senior Advisor
- Seasoned political organizer with 10+ years of campaign experience
MENTORS
Arthur Mitchell
- Lifelong Oakland resident
- Lifetime providing community mentorship to youth.
- Former high school coach and Pop Warner coach
- Retired 20+ year City Of Oakland Employee
- Background in construction
- Product of Single Parent Household
Coach Michael Peters
- Lifelong Oakland resident
- 25 + year providing community mentorship to youth through sports academic support.
- Key to the city of Oakland recipient
- Nationally recognized High School Coach
- Founder Foundation
- Product of single parent household
Daniel Mora
- Former juvenile probationer
- Current Alameda County Probation Officer
- Oakland Native
- Credits mentorship and community wrap around services for changing his life
- Product of Single-Parent Household
- Advocate of Justice system involved populations
Tristan Newsome,
MPS
- Bay Area Native
- Product of single-parent household
- Former Alameda County Juvenile Institutional Officer with 10 years of service
- Trauma informed care and evidence-based practice trained
- Currently pursuing a career in Sport Management
Malik Gresham
- Oakland Bay Area Native
- First-generation college graduate
- Doctorate of Physical Therapy student
- Current high school Track & Field and Cross Country coach in San Francisco
- Plans to open his own practice and provide a holistic approach to underserved populations
William Weaver
- Bay Area Native Castro Valley
- Current Alameda County Probation Officer
- Former missionary worker
- 8 years of experience providing compassionate care youth services
- Evidence-Based and Trauma Informed Care Trained
- Juvenile delinquency prevention specialist
William Hammons
- For more than 30 years, William Hammons has been an independent Media Producer, creating various TV and Radio programs
- San Francisco native
- Worked with youth training them in media production for various organizations
Susan Seo
- Successful transition into adulthood from a single-parent household
- Current beauty care industry professional specializes in eyelash, eyebrows treatment
- She is an successful entrepreneur and teaches others how to become a successful entrepreneur
Relonda McGee
- Oakland Native
- Lifetime of providing passionate care services to young women
- Current cheer coach at McClymonds High School
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker
- Has a passion for helping young people in the inner-city
Rosie Brooks
- Oakland Native
- Over 20+years in the healthcare industry
- Over 10+ years in the field of child development with an emphasis on special needs children
- Has a passion for supporting, helping and caring for unhoused communities
- Has spent a lifetime volunteering and aiding in the care of the senior community
- Loves teaching and sharing her gift for cooking with others
- Has a special passion for youth by providing sound life skills knowledge in the form of “Pearls for Wisdom”
Brian McGhee
- 25 years experience working with youth in various roles and organizations such as Probation, Casey Family Programs, Alameda County Social Services, Alameda County Office of Education, Oakland Unified school District
- Brian was a student Athlete for UC Berkeley 1985-1989
- In his leisure Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, coaching high school football , volunteering and supporting the homeless.
- Brian is a west oakland native , Born and raised
Ramez Tabri
- A Realtor at Century 21 Real Estate Alliance.
- Ramez graduated from the University of California, Davis with a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics with a concentration in real estate.
- Ramez was born and raised in San Mateo County, and has extensive, unmatched
knowledge of the area.
Take Your Steps and Grow
Schedule Today!
“It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” – African Proverb